Thursday Thirteen #18
Recently, I encountered a list of “50 Best Cult Books” in an article from The Telegraph (see the bottom of this post for the link) and I got to thinking. Choosing that list must have been very difficult, as that isn’t the sort of thing that many folks can agree about. I have to say that they did do a very good job, though. Being as I was the one reading the list, my next thought was inevitably the desire to discover which of the “Cult Books” had managed to make the transition to the big screen.
(By the way, the Telegraph defines “Cult Books” this way – “What is a cult book? We tried and failed to arrive at a definition: books often found in the pockets of murderers; books that you take very seriously when you are 17; books whose readers can be identified to all with the formula “(author) whacko”; books our children just won’t get…”)
So, I did. And that is this week’s Thursday Thirteen topic. Which “Cult Books” do you think should make the transition to the big screen? Don’t worry. Jack Kerouac’s On the Road has recently been announced with a theoretical 2009 release. It’ll be interesting to see how that one turns out.
13 Cult Books That You Can Read and Watch:
1. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (1969) – Slaughterhouse-Five (1972). You’d imagine that this book would have been filmed more than once, but the IMDB only has one listing. Vonnegut currently has two other books that are being made into films.
2. A Rebours by Joris-Karl Huysmans (1884) – Ventriloquio (1970) was an “experimental” seventeen minute film shot in Italy. I wonder what Huysmans would have thought of that, and if it was as plotless as the novel.
3. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963) – The Bell Jar (1979) was a film adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s autobiographical novel. Now, a new version of The Bell Jar is in pre-production and will feature Julia Stiles as the main character, Esther Greenwood. I wonder how different the two versions will be.
4. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961) – Surprise! I have actually seen Catch-22 (1970). Shame it doesn’t have a star studded cast or anything. Just look at all of those names on the cast list! Apparently, there was also a TV version made in 1973 with Richard Dreyfuss.
5. The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield (1993) – The Celestine Prophecy (2006) was not received with anything like the same acclaim as the book. The movie review site Rotten Tomatoes has it listed at “5%” out of a possible “100%.”
6. Dune by Frank Herbert (1965) – Okay. First there was Dune (1984) with Sting and Kyle MacLachlan (which I’ve seen.) Next came the SciFi Channel mini-series Dune (2000) (which we own, but I have not seen.) And now, Dune (2010) has been announced. I wonder how that one will turn out.
7. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979) – In the beginning Hitchhiker’s was a radio play. Next, it became a novel. Since then, it has become a mini-series: The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (1981), a video game: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1984), and a film: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005). Each version was a bit different from the last. By the way, Towel Day is May 25. Carry a towel and remember Douglas Adams, the hoopiest frood there ever was.
8. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (1943) – The Fountainhead (1949) is the only film version of this particular cult book by Ayn Rand. It should be noted that Rand wrote both the novel and the screenplay. Her other cult novel, Atlas Shrugged, is headed for the big screen fairly soonish. It is currently in pre-production.
9. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (1948 ) – Better known in some circles for writing The One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Smith’s story of “non-happily ever after” has only been made into a film the once…so far: I Capture the Castle (2003).
10. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach and Russell Munson (1970) – Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973) is the only version of this book to appear on film so far. Perhaps it’s better that way. Who knows what a modern adaptation would look like?
11. The Magus by John Fowles (1966) – The author actually has a part as a Boat Captain in The Magus (1968 ). Apparently, he also wrote the screenplay.
12. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson (1971) – After years of wrangling, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998 ) finally made it to the big screen. Let’s just say that Johnny Depp is big with the method acting and leave it at that.
13. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) – Lee’s classic book has actually been filmed twice. First, there was the Oscar award winning version with Gregory Peck – To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). According to the IMDB there was another version that not much information exists about – To Kill a Mockingbird (1997). I suppose that some folks just can’t leave perfection alone.
Sources:
* The Telegraph – 50 Best Cult Books
* The Internet Movie Database
I have the DVD of Catch-22 sitting on the shelf across the room from me right now, but I haven’t watched it. I did, however, see the movie in a cinema years ago. I can’t see how they could have made it for television without losing so much of its impact.
Thanks for telling us about May 25. You obviously know where your towel’s at! HHGTTG was brilliant as a radio series, book and TV mini series but NOT as a movie. That was an absolute travesty.
Great list! I’ve seen a number of them. Whew! I was afraid I was culturally lacking. LOL
That’s a very cool list but I’m not sure what qualifiies as a cult book or movie. I can understand the rest of the list but To Kill A Mockingbird? That surprised me…
That’s a great list! Loved the Magus!
Great list; I know some of those. You are right about #13!
Happy TT.
What makes a cult book? I love the book To Kill a Mockingbird but not the movie
Nicholas, I always knew that you were a hoopy frood.
Winter, do you feel all culture-full now? I feel culturally lacking quite often.
Irishcoda, the Telegraph article spent several paragraphs trying to define the term. I expect that TKaM’s appearance has a great deal to do with it being a Great American Novel.
Meg, lots of interesting books on that list. I couldn’t resist it.
kay, I always love it when someone agrees with me.
marcia v, I liked both, actually. That’s the question, isn’t it?
I was actually disappointed with that list of cult books. There were a lot on there I didn’t consider cults and I’d have included some others.
But that’s how those lists go.
I’ve read seven of the books on your distilled list but have only seen two of them as films. Happy TT.
Cool list (as always)!! While I’ve read a few of the books, the only movie version I’ve seen are the Dune ones (both!). I’m actually kind of excited to hear there’s another coming out.
Happy TT!
Susan, as you say. Very few folks can agree on what exactly constitutes a “Cult Book.”
pussreboots, you are always miles ahead of me in the reading.
Bethanie, I’m glad that you enjoy my lists.
I’m quite curious about the new Dune movie myself.